Locking system for rocking chair

ABSTRACT

A locking system for a rocking chair is provided that is compact in size and easily integratable into the overall structure of the rocking chair. The rocking chair comprises a base structure, a seating structure, a seat cushion support frame rockably mounted on the seating structure, a seat cushion, a stop carried by the seat cushion support frame, a biasing mechanism and a two part locking device mutually engageable when the seat cushion is occupied by a user and clearing each other when the user has left the seat whereby the rocking chair is automatically locked against rocking.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to rocking chairs, more specifically to an automatic locking system for a rocking chair where the chair is fixed in a locked position when no person is seated in the chair so as to prevent free unwanted movement of the chair.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

Various locking mechanisms for rocking chairs are currently known and used to lock a rocking chair from rocking when immobility of the chair is desired. Other locking mechanisms have been developed for a more precautionary purpose as they are used to automatically prevent the rocking chair from moving once the user has left the seating portion of the chair. Such locking systems were needed to address stability problems involving rocking chairs and users with reduced mobility.

Typical self-locking mechanisms for rocking chairs often involve the interaction between two component members located on the base of the chair causing the chair to be in a locked position when a person leaves the seating portion of the chair.

A similar locking mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,094 (Parent) where a rocking chair comprises a two part locking device having a downward oriented toothed bar and a locking rod carried by the base and the seat respectively which are mutually engageable when the seat is unoccupied and where the chair is automatically locked against rocking when a person leaves the seat.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,510 (Guillot et al.) discloses another locking mechanism mounted on both the base and the seat assembly which includes a downfacing toothed rack and an arm lever that operatively cooperate.

Another locking device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,841 (Hoffman), where a first toothed engagement member is oriented towards the bottom and is fixed to and below a seat and a second engagement member is pivotally interconnected with the base and configured to engage the first engagement member in one of a plurality of engagement locations. In the locked position, the second engagement member raises to engage with the first engagement member, and in the unlocked position, the second engagement member is lowered and disengages from the first engagement member.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,658 (Parent et al.) discloses a rocking chair with an automatic locking device comprising a two part ratchet locking device where a link rod pivotally links the rear of the seat to a pawl, with the pawl engaging the ratchet wheel when the seat is in an unoccupied position and clearing the ratchet wheel when the seat is occupied by a user.

The known prior art disclose locking mechanisms that are vertically mounted to the base of a chair and which are mutually engageable when a user has left the seating area.

However, these prior art systems utilize locking mechanisms that are very often bulky or difficult to dissimulate to their external configuration. Consequently, there is presently a need for a new locking mechanism that is more compact in size and therefore easier to integrate to the overall structure of a chair. Also, there is presently a need for a locking mechanism made up of fewer parts and therefore that is more effective based on respective individual component tolerances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a rocking chair with a locking mechanism that addresses at least one of the above-mentioned needs.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rocking chair comprising:

-   -   a base structure comprising:         -   an upper part;         -   a lower part;         -   an exterior face;         -   and an interior face;     -   a seating structure, comprising opposing front and back ends as         well as opposing side ends, wherein the seating structure is         mounted to the upper part of the base structure;     -   a seat cushion support frame rockably mounted on the seating         structure, the seat cushion support frame having a front and         rear portion;     -   a seat cushion movably mounted on the seat cushion support frame         having limited up and down movement between a high limit         position and a low limit position;     -   a stop carried by the seat cushion support frame and engaging         the seat cushion in the low limit position;     -   a biasing mechanism biasing the seat cushion to the high         position, wherein a weight of a person seated on the seat         cushion lowering the seat cushion to the low limit position         against a bias of the biasing mechanism;     -   a two part locking device, having a top part mounted to the seat         cushion support frame of the seating structure and a bottom part         mounted to the base structure, mutually engageable when the seat         cushion is in the low position and clearing each other when the         seat is in the high limit position; whereby the rocking chair is         automatically locked against rocking when a person leaves the         seat cushion.         A non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment of the         invention will now be given with reference to the appended         drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a rocking chair according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a magnified view of the locking device for the chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the chair shown in FIG. 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a magnified view of the biasing mechanism of the chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the base structure of the rocking chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 4A are perspective views of the locking device for the chair shown in FIG. 1 and show the seat cushion is in the high position;

FIGS. 5 and 5A are perspective views of the locking device for the chair shown in FIG. 1 and show the seat cushion in the low position;

FIGS. 6A to 6D are detailed views of the seat cushion support frame of the chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7A to 7E are different detailed rotational views of the stopper for the locking device of the chair shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the present invention provides a self locking rocking chair. FIG. 1 shows the rocking chair comprising a base structure 12 comprising an upper part 40, a lower part 41, an exterior face 42 and an interior face 43. The rocking chair further comprises a seating structure 10 having opposing front 45 and back ends 44 as well as opposing side ends 46, wherein the seating structure 10 is mounted to the upper part 40 of the base structure 12. Additionally, the rocking chair comprises a seat cushion support frame 16 rockably mounted on the seating structure 10, where the seat cushion support frame 16 has a front 18 and rear portion 20, as better shown in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the seat cushion 14 is movably mounted on the seat cushion support frame 16 having limited up and down movement between a high limit position and a low limit position, represented in FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively.

As it can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2A, 5 and 6D, a stop 22 is carried by the seat cushion support frame 16 and engages the seat cushion 14 in the low limit position 90, as better detailed in FIG. 5.

As it can better be seen in FIGS. 2 and 2A, the rocking chair further comprises a biasing mechanism 24 biasing the seat cushion 14 to the high position 70, the high position can better be seen in FIGS. 4 and 4A. The weight of a person seated on the seat cushion lowers the seat cushion 14 to the low limit position 90 against a bias of the biasing mechanism 24, as it can be better seen in FIGS. 5 and 5A.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 1A, 4, 4A and 5, the rocking chair additionally comprises a two part locking device, having a top part 36 mounted to the seat cushion support frame 16 of the seating structure 10 and a bottom part 30 mounted to the base structure 12, as better shown in FIG. 3.

As better seen in FIGS. 5 and 5A, the two part locking device is mutually engageable when the seat cushion is in the low position 90.

As it can better be seen in FIGS. 4 and 4A, the two parts of the locking device clear each other when the seat is in the high limit position 70, whereby the rocking chair is automatically locked against rocking when a person leaves the seat cushion.

Preferably, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the front portion 18 of the before mentioned seat cushion support frame 16 is pivotably connected to the front end 45 of the seating structure, and wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring 71 attached to the rear end 20 of the seat cushion support frame and to the back end 44 of said seating structure, as better shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A.

Preferably, as seen in FIGS. 1, 4, 4A, 5, 5A and 6, the stop 22 carried by the seat cushion support frame 16, engaging said seat cushion 14 in its low limit position 90, is an elongated tab protruding outwardly from the rear portion of the seat cushion support frame 20 and horizontally comes into contact with the back end of the seating structure 44 when the cushion is in said low limit position 90.

In another preferred embodiment and as shown in FIG. 1, the two part locking device comprises a stopper actuator 36 carried by the seat cushion support frame 16 as a first part and as better shown if FIG. 3, a stopper 80 and comb structure 81 carried by the base structure 12 as a second part 30 wherein the low limit position of the seat cushion mutually engages said stop actuator 36 against the stopper and comb structure, wherein the comb structure comprises a plurality of protruding teeth 82 as it can better be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5A.

As better shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the comb structure 81 is laterally mounted to two opposing exterior faces 42 of the upper part 40 of the base structure 12.

Alternatively, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the comb structure is laterally mounted to two opposing interior faces of the upper part of the base structure.

Preferably, as better shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 5A, the comb structure 81 is a rack gear and the stopper 80 comprises an arm 91 movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing outer faces of the base structure and has both a locked and an unlocked position. Alternatively, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, stopper comprises an arm movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing inner faces of the base structure and has both a locked and an unlocked position.

As better shown in FIGS. 7A, 7D and 7E, a biasing means 92 biases the stopper 80 in the locked position, and wherein contact between the stopper actuator 36 of the seat cushion support frame 16 and the stopper engages the stopper in the unlocked position, as shown in FIG. 5A.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7D and 7E, the arm 91 of the stopper 80 is biased by a spring 92 to the locked positions. A stop 93 limits the arm while in the unlocked position. When the stopper 80 is in the locked position, as seen in FIG. 4A, it mutually engages with the protruding teeth 82 of the lateral comb structure 81. Therefore locking of the rocking chair occurs laterally on two opposing exterior faces of the base structure between the stopper and the teeth of the comb structure. Alternatively, where the comb structure and the stopper are laterally mounted on two opposing interior faces of the base structure, locking of the rocking chair occurs laterally on two opposing interior faces of the base structure between the stopper and the teeth of the comb structure.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. 

1. A rocking chair comprising: a base structure comprising: an upper part; a lower part; an exterior face; and an interior face; a seating structure, comprising opposing front and back ends as well as opposing side ends, wherein the seating structure is mounted to the upper part of the base structure; a seat cushion support frame rockably mounted on said seating structure, said seat cushion support frame having a front and rear portion; a seat cushion movably mounted on said seat cushion support frame having limited up and down movement between a high limit position and a low limit position; a stop carried by said seat cushion support frame and engaging said seat cushion in said low limit position; a biasing mechanism biasing said seat cushion to said high position, wherein a weight of a person seated on said seat cushion lowering said seat cushion to said low limit position against a bias of said biasing mechanism; a two part locking device, having a top part mounted to the seat cushion support frame of said seating structure and a bottom part mounted to the base structure, mutually engageable when said seat cushion is in said low position and clearing each other when said seat is in said high limit position; whereby said rocking chair is automatically locked against rocking when a person leaves said seat cushion.
 2. A rocking chair as defined in claim 1, wherein the front portion of said seat cushion support frame is pivotably connected to the front end of said seating structure, and wherein said biasing mechanism comprises a spring attached to the rear end of the seat cushion support frame and to the back end of said seating structure.
 3. A rocking chair as defined in claim 2, wherein said stop carried by said seat cushion support frame engaging said seat cushion in the low limit position is an elongated tab protruding outwardly from the rear portion of the seat cushion support frame, horizontally coming into contact with the back end of the seating structure when seat cushion is in said low limit position.
 4. A rocking chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said two part locking device comprises a stopper actuator carried by the seat cushion support frame as a first part, and a stopper and a comb structure carried by the base structure as a second part wherein the low limit position of the seat cushion mutually engages said stop actuator against the stopper and the comb structure, wherein the comb structure comprises a plurality of protruding teeth.
 5. A rocking chair as defined in claim 4, wherein the comb structure is laterally mounted to two opposing exterior faces of the upper part of said base structure.
 6. A rocking chair as defined in claim 4, wherein the comb structure is a rack gear.
 7. A rocking chair as defined in claim 4, wherein the stopper comprises an arm movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing outer faces of the base structure and has both an unlocked and a locked position, wherein a biasing means biases the stopper towards the locked position, and wherein contact between the stopper actuator of the seat cushion frame and the stopper displays the stopper towards said unlocked position.
 8. A rocking chair as defined in claim 7, wherein the biasing means is a spring.
 9. A rocking chair as defined in claim 7, wherein a stop limits motion of the arm of the stopper while in the unlocked position.
 10. A rocking chair as defined in claim 7, wherein the stopper in the locked position mutually engages with the protruding teeth of the comb structure and wherein locking of the rocking chair occurs laterally on two opposing exterior faces of the base structure between the stopper and the teeth of the comb structure.
 11. A rocking chair as defined in claim 4, wherein the comb structure is laterally mounted to two opposing interior faces of the upper part of said base structure.
 12. A rocking chair as defined in claim 11, wherein the comb structure is a rack gear.
 13. A rocking chair as defined in claim 11, wherein the stopper comprises an arm movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing inner faces of the base structure and has both an unlocked and a locked position, wherein a biasing means biases the stopper towards the locked position, and wherein contact between the stopper actuator of the seat cushion frame and the stopper displays the stopper towards said unlocked position.
 14. A rocking chair as defined in claim 13, wherein the biasing means is a spring.
 15. A rocking chair as defined in claim 13 wherein a stop limits motion of the arm of the stopper while in the unlocked position.
 16. A rocking chair as defined claim 13, wherein the stopper in the locked position mutually engages with the protruding teeth of the comb structure and wherein locking of the rocking chair occurs laterally on two opposing interior faces of the base structure between the stopper and the teeth of the comb structure.
 17. A rocking chair as defined in claim 2, wherein said two part locking device comprises a stopper actuator carried by the seat cushion support frame as a first part, and a stopper and a comb structure carried by the base structure as a second part wherein the low limit position of the seat cushion mutually engages said stop actuator against the stopper and the comb structure, wherein the comb structure comprises a plurality of protruding teeth.
 18. A rocking chair as defined in claim 3, wherein said two part locking device comprises a stopper actuator carried by the seat cushion support frame as a first part, and a stopper and a comb structure carried by the base structure as a second part wherein the low limit position of the seat cushion mutually engages said stop actuator against the stopper and the comb structure, wherein the comb structure comprises a plurality of protruding teeth.
 19. A rocking chair as defined in claim 5, wherein the stopper comprises an arm movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing outer faces of the base structure and has both an unlocked and a locked position, wherein a biasing means biases the stopper towards the locked position, and wherein contact between the stopper actuator of the seat cushion frame and the stopper displays the stopper towards said unlocked position.
 20. A rocking chair as defined in claim 6, wherein the stopper comprises an arm movably mounted on pivots to a support on opposing outer faces of the base structure and has both an unlocked and a locked position, wherein a biasing means biases the stopper towards the locked position, and wherein contact between the stopper actuator of the seat cushion frame and the stopper displays the stopper towards said unlocked position. 